Transplant

Transplant: Nutrition for Kidney Donation

HFFY#544

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Transplant: Nutrition for Kidney Donation
It is a priority to choose healthy eating habits and lifestyle choices that promote kidney
health, prior to and after donation.
Diabetes and hypertension are the two leading causes of kidney disease. Both of these
can be prevented by keeping a healthy weight and eating a diet low in salt and fat.
A healthy kidney diet is rich in fruits and vegetables and low in salt with enough protein.
If you smoke, STOP! Find a smoking cessation program to help you.
 Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
 Eat a diet low in salt.
 Exercise regularly and make active lifestyle choices at all times of the day.
 Maintain a healthy body weight.
 Avoid fad diets that are high protein diets.
Your Body Weight
Height:
Weight:
Body Mass Index (BMI):
Body mass index (BMI) is a measure
of body fat based on height and
weight that applies to adult men and
women.
BMI Categories
Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
Overweight = 25–29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
Desired BMI < 28.0
Visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/myplate/index.aspx to learn how much and what
you should eat to maintain a healthy body weight. Get a diet plan just for you or use the
menu planner – FREE!
Visit http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi to see if your current weight and height are
associated with increased risk of chronic diseases. If so, link to ‘Aim for a Healthy
Weight.’
Your Diabetes Risk
Results Goal
Fasting Blood Glucose < 100 mg/dL
2h post oral glucose tolerance test
(75 g glucose load OGTT)
< 140 mg/dL
Hemoglobin A1c < 6.0 %
Your Heart Health
Fasting Lipid Profile Results Goal
Cholesterol
The body needs cholesterol to function
normally.
The higher the blood cholesterol level, the
greater the chances of developing heart
disease. Total cholesterol is a measure of the
cholesterol in all of your lipoproteins,
including the “bad” cholesterol in LDL and the
“good” cholesterol in HDL.
Desirable: < 200 mg/dL
Borderline: 200–239 mg/dL
High Risk: > 240 mg/dL
Triglycerides
Triglycerides are another type of fat found in
the blood and in food. Triglycerides are
produced in the liver. When you drink alcohol
or take in more calories than your body needs,
your liver makes more triglycerides.
Desirable: < 150 mg/dL
Borderline High: 150-199
mg/dL
High Risk: 200-499 mg/dL
HDL
HDL cholesterol is known as “good”
cholesterol. That’s because HDL helps remove
cholesterol from the body, keeping it from
building up in the arteries. The lower your
HDL level, the higher your heart disease risk.
High Risk: < 40 mg/dL
Desirable: 40-60 mg/dL
LDL
LDL carries most of the cholesterol in the
blood. Cholesterol packaged in LDL is often
called “bad” cholesterol, because too much
LDL in the blood can lead to cholesterol
buildup and blockage in the arteries.
Optimal: < 130 mg/dL
Borderline High: 130-159
mg/dL
High Risk: 160-189 mg/dL
Very High Risk: >190
mg/dL
To reduce cholesterol and LDL, do not overeat animal products, as these have
cholesterol in them. Most people get enough protein from 6 ounces of lean meats and 3
servings of low-fat dairy foods. In addition, eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as
these foods contain fiber and plant sterols (or plant stanols) that help lower cholesterol.
Keep a healthy body weight and exercise regularly.
To reduce blood triglyceride levels, it is important to control your weight, exercise, quit
smoking, and avoid alcohol. You should also follow an eating plan that is not too high
in carbohydrates (less than 60 percent of calories) and is low in saturated fat, trans fat,
and cholesterol.
High cholesterol alone will not prevent you from donating a kidney, but should be
treated through diet, exercise and medicine as needed. To avoid heart disease, it is a
priority to attain normal lipid levels prior to donation and life-long.
If you have more questions please contact UW Health at one of the phone numbers listed
below. You can also visit our website at www.uwhealth.org/nutrition
UW Digestive Health Center
Nutrition Clinic Room 012
750 University Row,
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 890-5000 appointments
(608) 890-5005
UW Health West Clinic
Nutrition Clinic Room 1296
451 Junction Road
Madison, WI 53717
(608) 262-9181 appointments
(608) 265-7526
UW Health East Clinic
Nutrition Clinic Room 2106
5249 East Terrace Drive
Madison, WI 53718
(608) 265-7405 appointments
(608) 265-0963
UW Medical Foundation
Health & Nutrition Education
20 S. Park Street, Suite 207
Madison, WI 53715
Appointments available at 12 clinic locations
Call to schedule at 608-287-2770
Copyright  9/2013. University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved.
Produced by the Clinical Nutrition Services Department and the Department of Nursing HF#544